1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for protecting couplings that are used to interconnect adjacent sections of concrete structures. More specifically, the present invention relates to a protective cap for a coupler bar.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many steel-reinforced concrete structures are constructed in phases where one section of the concrete structure is constructed at a time. Each section generally includes steel reinforcing members that are to be interconnected to adjacent sections so as to improve the structural rigidity of the concrete structure. Many of these interconnections are made by a specially designed coupling that is mounted to a coupler bar. The coupler bar is integrated into the steel reinforcement framework of the concrete structure. As the concrete structure is formed, the coupler bars and couplings are typically covered in concrete.
After the section is poured, but before the concrete sets, each coupling has to be located so that the concrete can be removed from an area directly adjacent to the coupling. Clearing the concrete from the coupling is often achieved by applying a stream of pressurized water to wash away the concrete immediately surrounding the coupling. Locating each coupling and clearing the surrounding concrete are both highly labor intensive tasks.
Some couplings are furnished with some sort of protective cover. The protective cover attempts to limit damage to the coupling and limit intrusion of concrete into the coupling during construction. Although these protective covers help prevent damage to the coupling, removal of the protective covers further increases the time needed to expose the coupling as the covers can not be removed until the surrounding cement has been cleared.
Once the coupling has been located, the surrounding concrete cleared, and the protective cover removed, then the steel reinforcement from the next section can be connected to the coupling. It can be seen that the process for preparing the couplings often involves a lot of manual labor, which increases the cost and time needed to complete a project. Thus, the embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and apparatus for protecting and preparing a coupling that seeks to overcome these limitations.